Consumer electronic devices, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, notebooks, tablets, MP3 players, etc., are ubiquitous. Currently there are over 6 billion mobile devices in use in the world; and the number of these devices is growing rapidly with more than 1.8 billion mobile phones being sold in 2013 alone. By 2017 it is expected that there will be more mobile devices in use than there are people on the planet. In addition to mobile phones, over 300 million desk-based and notebook computers shipped in 2013, and for the first time the number of tablet computers shipped exceeded laptops. Part of the reason for the rapid growth in the number of mobile phones and other electronic devices is the rapid pace at which these devices evolve, and the increased usage of such devices in third world countries.
As a result of the rapid pace of development, a relatively high percentage of electronic devices are replaced every year as consumers continually upgrade their mobile phones and other electronic devices to obtain the latest features or a better operating plan. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. alone disposes of over 370 million mobile phones, PDAs, tablets, and other electronic devices every year. Millions of other outdated or broken mobile phones and other electronic devices are simply tossed into junk drawers or otherwise kept until a suitable disposal solution arises.
Although many electronic device retailers and cell carrier stores now offer mobile phone trade-in or buyback programs, many old mobile phones still end up in landfills or are improperly disassembled and disposed of in developing countries. Unfortunately, however, mobile phones and similar devices typically contain substances that can be harmful to the environment, such as arsenic, lithium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc. If not properly disposed of, these toxic substances can seep into groundwater from decomposing landfills and contaminate the soil with potentiality harmful consequences for humans and the environment. As an alternative to retailer trade-in or buyback programs, consumers can now recycle and/or sell their used mobile phones using self-service kiosks located in malls, retail stores, or other publically accessible areas. Such kiosks are operated by ecoATM, Inc., the assignee of the present application, and are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,463,646, 8,423,404, 8,239,262, 8,200,533, 8,195,511, and 7,881,965, which are commonly owned by ecoATM, Inc. and are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
There continues to be a need for improving the means available to consumers for recycling or reselling their mobile phones and other electronic devices. Simplifying the recycling/reselling process, enhancing the consumer experience, and discouraging fraud can incentivize consumers to dispose of their old electronic devices in an efficient and environmentally conscientious way.